1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to retainers for bars of soap, and the like, and particularly to a rack for holding a bar of soap in such a manner as to permit drainage from the bar of soap without causing damage to the soap itself or creating a mess on a counter top, wash stand, upper edge of a bathtub, or other areas where bars of soap are normally placed when not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A common problem encountered with the use of bars of soap is that after each use the wet bar must be disposed in such a manner as to permit drainage of the bar. Conventionally, wash basins, and the like, provide only a recessed portion thereon for receiving a bar of soap, which results in much waste of the soap and messing of the sinks. Alternatively, soap racks and dishes are employed which may include a plurality of ridges or projections for retaining the soap bar at spaced points, but since these ridges or projections are of rigid construction damage can result to the bar of soap, thus contributing to soap waste and messing of the rack or dish.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 539,698, issued May 21, 1895 to F. H. Milligan; 1,554,837, issued Sept. 22, 1925 to M. Bock; 2,128,118, issued Aug. 23, 1938 to S. D. Burford; disclose examples of soap holding devices employing a plurality of projections to suspend the soap, while U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,774, issued Sept. 26, 1967, to J. J. Pryor, discloses a self-draining soap rest or tray employing a corrugated construction forming a plurality of ridges for receiving the soap bar. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,073, issued Aug. 12, 1975 to K. H. Barr, discloses a soap container provided with ridges for supporting in spaced relation from a bottom wall of the container a perforated plate provided with a plurality of rigid projections for retainingly supporting a soap bar, and the like.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,504,536, issued Apr. 18, 1950 to R. C. Kisselburg, and 2,842,893, issued July 15, 1958, to H. Howerton, disclose soap trays provided with pivotally mounted racks in the form of frameworks which normally support a bar of soap in a position permitting drainage, and can be pivoted as desired in order to eject the soap bar into the hands of a prospective user of the soap.